Move over craft beer, craft gin is moving in

Industry has expanded from a handful of brands to 135 craft gins produced by 65 companies

The rapid development of the craft gin industry, which in three years has expanded from a handful of brands to 135 gins produced by 65 companies, can be credited to hard fought battles against repressive liquor legislation.

This follows in the footsteps of the local craft beer sector.

Gin is liquor which derives its predominant flavour mainly from juniper berries, but there are hundreds of other supplementary flavours, including local inputs fynbos and rooibos.

The body of the drink is made up of alcohol from either barley, grapes, sugar cane, oranges or hops.

The concentration of craft gin brands in the Western Cape – 63% according to stats collected by South Africa’s craft gin club The Gin Box – might also be because of officials’ experience with licensing issues related to the wine industry in the province.